Gabriel Agbonlahor scored the game’s only goal just inside the ten minute mark, and Rodgers believes that it was his team’s slow start that would eventually cost them: “We started a bit slowly in the game,” he told Sky Sports. “We probably only started to quicken up our tempo when we went 1-0 behind.”

Despite the result, which made it three consecutive home games against Villa without a victory for Rodgers, the Liverpool boss was positive about his team’s commitment: “I think the players gave everything today. It was probably a mixture of us not being able to find that quality in the final third of the field and Aston Villa defending well.

“Once they went 1-0 up they defended tightly with lines together; back four, goalkeeper, midfield – they all defended well together. We just couldn’t find the final pass. We had enough of the ball but we couldn’t create so much.”

That lack of creation came from a new-look front three which included recent signings Lazar Markovic, Adam Lallana and Mario Balotelli. The Reds sorely missed the pace and creativity of the injured Daniel Sturridge, and Raheem Sterling, who was rested to the substitutes bench.

“It’s sometimes what happens in football. Normally we’re a team that start very, very fast – our tempo and rhythm of the game is at a high level,” Rodgers added.

“For some reason we just didn’t start like that. And, obviously, when a good team gets in front, it is difficult to break them down. I can’t question the players in terms of their effort and commitment in the game; that was first class.”